ngallo, who remained architect-in-chief until his
death. Still the covert wish expressed that the superintendence might
be altered, shows a spirit of hostility against him; and a new plan
for the lines must soon have been adopted. A despatch written to the
Duke of Parma in September 1545 informs him that the old works were
being abandoned, with the exception of the grand Doric gateway of S.
Spirito. This is described at some length in another despatch of
January 1546. Later on, in 1557, we find Michelangelo working as
architect-in-chief with Jacopo Meleghino under his direction, but the
fortifications were eventually carried through by a more competent
engineer, one Jacopo Fusto Castriotto of Urbino.

VI

Antonio da Sangallo died on October 3, 1546, at Terni, while engaged
in engineering works intended to drain the Lake Velino. Michelangelo
immediately succeeded to the offices and employments he had held at
Rome. Of these, the most important was the post of architect-in-chief
at S. Peter's. Paul III. conferred it upon him for life by a brief
dated January 1, 1547. He is there named "commissary, prefect,
surveyor of the works, and architect, with full authority to change
the model, form, and structure of the church at pleasure, and to
dismiss and remove the working-men and foremen employed upon the
same." The Pope intended to attach a special stipend to the onerous
charge, but Michelangelo declined this honorarium, declaring that he
meant to labour without recompense, for the love of God and the
reverence he felt for the Prince of the Apostles. Although he might
have had money for the asking, and sums were actually sent as presents
by his Papal master, he persisted in this resolution, working steadily
at S. Peter's without pay, until death gave him rest.

Michelangelo's career as servant to a Pope began with the design of
that tomb which led Julius II. to destroy the old S. Peter's. He was
now entering, after forty-two years, upon the last stage of his long
life. Before the end came, he gave final form to the main features of
the great basilica, raising the dome which dominates the Roman
landscape like a stationary cloud upon the sky-line. What had happened
to the edifice in the interval between 1505 and 1547 must be briefly
narrated, although it is not within the scope of this work to give a
complete history of the building.

Bramante's original design had been to construct the church in the
form of a Greek cross